Hey, I just bought another one last week. For $50, complete. Had another one given to me this spring for free. Because “nobody wants them, because they don’t have that deep seat, knee padding, and thigh blocks,(and seat belt) and you need those things to be able to stay on when riding your horse”. ROTFLMAO
Both are in new condition. The free one is half an inch bigger than what I normally ride in, and I actually was just LOOKING at it at the tack sale, when the owner begged me to take it away for free because she didn’t want to take it home again after the sale. It’s a bit funny because it does have some strange padding under the knee, that I have never seen before in a PDN. The owner of that saddle has taken up western riding instead and purchased a QH, because it’s nice to have a horn to hold onto, and that is probably a good thing for her.
I’ve been a “minimalist” saddle user since the late 70’s. My favourate saddle is a Courbette Stylist, which fits slightly narrower than a Crosby PDN, and I’ve been using this saddle since buying it new 1978. It’s in perfect condition, so secure and comfortable to sit in. Fits a lot of TBs. The PDNs fit a bit wider. I had a full cutback PDN, bought around the same time, early 80’s I think, but was convinced to sell it to a friend many years ago now (I didn’t think I would need a wider fitting saddle, hadn’t been using it much, and she needed it). I had been missing it, so started to look for one to replace it with. But I live kinda remote from the hub of English equine activity, and had only just started thinking about looking for a 16 1/2 PDN when a 16 1/2 Crosby “Olympic” was advertised on a local notice board, much to my surprise LOL. I had to go look at that. It has a slight knee pad, but otherwise is flat. So I bought that one. It has been useful. Then this spring/summer has brought these two PDNs into my life. I haven’t even put either one of them on a horse yet, both needed oiling.
In the mean time, a couple years ago now, I saw a Passier Century saddle at a tack sale. Exactly my size at 16 1/2. It was Passier’s answer to the flat saddle of the 80s. This one was built in 1992, so it’s a “new” saddle for me. It had been well looked after, and not a lot of use. Bought that one for $200. It has a deeper seat than the other flat saddles I have, but it’s still less deep than many, and it’s OK. Passier quality is ageless, and quality like this is not seen any more.
Oh, and the place where I bought the $50 PDN last week, a used tack store, last year I found another Courbette Stylist there. They were so rare, and such great saddles, and here was one, also offered for $50. Because no one wants them (but ME!!!). I bought that one too. It was actually a “rescue” situation for the saddle, it had been badly neglected, and I was not sure it was able to be rejuvenated, so dry, like cardboard. So it spent all last summer being soaked in neatsfoot oil etc. And it has recovered. It is a 17 inch, and a narrower tree than my old one, and fits my narrower TB mare just perfectly (I was having to pad out the old Courbette for her). And being half an inch bigger doesn’t matter to me, it feels just like the 16 1/2 to sit in. It has had NO use, the pattern is still on the leather, not worn off like my old one is.
My other saddle is a gallop saddle, my exercise saddle from my race training days. It is a half tree saddle, known as a “Beavertail”. Just a leather pad with stirrup bars actually. It fits every horse like a surcingle. It is the closest you can get to your horse, but it isn’t a saddle that you can ride for long periods of time of course, it does not distribute the rider’s weight because the tree does not extend the length of the saddle. But very close contact, for maximum security of course. I have gone trail riding in this saddle, broke babies in it, galloped and worked horses in it, and jumped some greenies in it occasionally. Then I saw an article about an American jumper rider using them in jumper competitions LOL. I love the rebel yell. Yes, they are nice saddles too, for us minimalist saddle lovers.
Touch wood, I have never had back issues or saddle fit problems in any of my horses for the last 50 years. I ride TB and TBX horses. I am light, and a balanced rider, and do not ride for 10 hours at a time (endurance), and the engagement of the horse’s hind end and correct carriage, keeping the classical training pyramid in mind, all helps to keep horses sound and functional. And the saddle has to fit adequately, of course. Less is more.
